GB2633567A

GB2633567A - A portable battery for an electric vehicle comprising a traction battery

Info

Publication number: GB2633567A
Application number: GB2313935.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ayachit Agasthya; Glossmann Tobias
Original assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
Current assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
Priority date: 2023-09-13
Filing date: 2023-09-13
Publication date: 2025-03-19
Also published as: GB202313935D0

Abstract

An electric vehicle 10 comprising a traction battery 12 for providing electric power for an electric drivetrain 14 of the electric vehicle, the electric vehicle comprising a charging compartment 16 and a portable battery (18) removably storable in the charging compartment, wherein a socket 20 for a charging interface 22 of the portable battery is arranged in the charging compartment, via which socket and charging interface the traction battery is chargeable by the portable battery. The portable battery may have a higher energy density than the traction battery. The socket of the charging compartment may be configured for bidirectional charging so that that the portable battery is chargeable by the traction battery. The portable battery, in addition to the charging interface, may have a charging connector 24 via which the portable battery can be charged by an external charger. The portable battery may be operatable with a low or a high operating voltage. An on-board low voltage battery with a low operating voltage may be provided, and this may be chargeable via the socket, and the on-board low-voltage battery may be configured for a jump start. The charging compartment may be arranged in a trunk 30 or a lockable compartment.

Description

A Portable Battery for an Electric Vehicle Comprising a Traction Battery

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of electric vehicles, in particular an automobile. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vehicle and a compact portable energy pack, which can be used to provide energy to an electric drivetrain of the electric vehicle. The compact portable energy pack provides a second battery for the electric vehicle.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0002] For electric vehicles, range anxiety is a major concern for drivers. An electric vehicle, which is safe to use in such a way that there is a fallback option to reach a charging station in case the electric vehicle battery has reached a very low state of charge (SOC) would be appreciable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electric vehicle with which it is possible to have a last mile range boost for providing additional miles and extend the range of the vehicle when needed.

[0004] This object is solved by the subject matter of the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are presented in the dependent claims, the description, and the drawings.

[0005] The present invention relates to an electric vehicle comprising a traction battery for providing electric power for an electric drivetrain of the electric vehicle. The electric vehicle according to the invention further comprises a charging compartment and a portable battery removably stored in the charging compartment, wherein a socket for a charging interface and/or connector of the battery is arranged in the charging compartment, via which socket and charging interface and/or connector the traction battery is chargeable by the battery.

[0006] The electric vehicle is in particular a car, van, or truck. The portable removable battery of the electric vehicle could be seen as a last mile range booster (LMRB) and is, in particular, a high energy density and compact battery pack, which is portable. The dimension of the charging compartment, which is housing the battery, in particular inside the interior of the electric vehicle, may be more or less similar to a vehicle glove box. The battery could be small enough to be portable in such a way that the user or a driver of the vehicle may carry it and it could be displaced from a charging compartment and may be charged on its own outside of the vehicle.

[0007] A use case for this portable energy pack -the portable battery -could be a situation, when there is a limited or infrequent access to a charging station for charging the electric vehicle and/or for long-distance journeys or vehicles with a traction, the main traction battery is more or less dead.

[0008] An advantage of the electric vehicle according to the invention, may be that low cycle life may be acceptable for the portable battery. The voltage level is a matter of optimization. For the energy storage of the battery Li-metal or lithium alloy (for example silicon, magnesium, aluminum alloys) anode and high density metal oxide or metal phosphate or a light redox active polymer or sulfur cathode, depending on specific weight and volume requirements, may be used, as used in drones. Another feature benefit could be a high discharge rate. Long calendar life is beneficial and low self-discharge rate is beneficial but not required.

[0009] In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, a material of the portable battery, which stores the energy, comprises a higher energy density or storage density than the corresponding material of the traction battery. So, for example, a particular amount of the material of the battery could store more energy than a similar amount of the material for the traction battery. Though the battery could be very effective for the last miles at the same time, the traction battery could be built with low costs. For example, the portable battery such as a sulfur and redox active organic battery may be implemented without a cooling system.

[0010] In another embodiment of the present invention, the socket of the charging compartment is configured for bidirectional charging so that the portable battery is chargeable by the traction battery.

[0011] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the portable battery, in addition to the charging interface, comprises a charging port via which the battery is chargeable, in particular by an external charger.

[0012] In still another embodiment of the present invention, the socket and/or the connectors for charging interface are standard compliant and are built for a combined charging system and are configured in the same way, which means that the socket and charging connector are built in the same way.

[0013] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the portable battery's voltage may be a low operating voltage or a high operating voltage.

[0014] A further portable battery, which comprises a low operating voltage or only comprises a low operating voltage, is provided and an on-board low-voltage battery is chargeable via the socket and/or the on-board low-voltage battery is configured for a board network and in particular therefore could be used as a jump start for the electric vehicle.

[0015] In yet another embodiment of the invention, a traction battery is chargeable via a DC-to-DC converter and the on-board low-voltage battery.

[0016] In yet another embodiment of the present invention the charging compartment is arranged in a trunk and/or lockable compartment.

[0017] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of preferred embodiments as well as from the drawings. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The novel features and characteristic of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of system and/or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0019] The drawings show in: [0020] Fig. 1 a schematic view of an electric vehicle comprising a trunk with a charging compartment and a battery arranged in the compartment; [0021] Fig. 2 a schematic view of a first embodiment of the battery; and [0022] Fig. 3 another schematic view of a second embodiment of the battery. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0023] In the present document, the word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration". Any embodiment or implementation of the present subject matter described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0024] While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawing and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.

[0025] The terms "comprises", "comprising", or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion so that a setup, device, or method that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by "comprises" or "comprise" does not or do not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.

[0026] In the following detailed description of the embodiment of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawing that forms part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific embodiment in which the disclosure may be practiced. This embodiment is described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0027] Fig. 1 shows in a schematic view an electric vehicle 10, comprising a traction battery 12 for providing an electric power for an electric drivetrain 14 of the electric vehicle 10.

[0028] Furthermore, the electric vehicle 10 comprises a charging compartment 16 for charging with a portable battery 18 that is removable, storable, or placeable in the charging compartment 16, wherein a socket 20 for a charging interface 22 of the battery 18 is arranged in the charging compartment 16. A driver may access the portable battery 18 via the socket 20 and charging interface 22 for recharging the traction battery 12 is chargeable.

[0029] This concept of the electric vehicle 10 is based on the realization that a range anxiety is a major concern for drivers of electric vehicles. A last mile range boost by the portable battery 18 would be very useful, especially to provide the additional miles to reach a charging station, in case the traction battery 12 of the electric vehicle 10 has reached a very low state of charge (SOC).

[0030] With the portable battery 18, a last mile range booster (LMRB) is provided wherein the portable battery 18 or battery pack may have a high energy density and is compact. Therefore, the battery 18is portable, removable, and fits in the charging compartment 16, which dimension is comparable to a vehicle's glove box. The charging compartment 16 may be used as a recharging case.

[0031] The portable battery 18 may be rechargeable in the event that the last mile range booster LMRB is stored inside the electric vehicle 10 and if the traction battery's 12 state of charge of the electric vehicle 10 is high enough to recharge the LMRB or portable battery 18. Therefore, the socket 20 of the charging compartment 16 is configured for a bidirectional charging so that the portable battery 18 is chargeable by the traction battery 12.

[0032] The portable battery 18 as a LMRB can also be recharged using an off-board recharging station, for example installed in a home or any other suitable location. The driver or user of the electric vehicle 10 should ensure the LMRB or portable battery 18 is fully recharged when it is stored in the charging compartment 16 and is not utilized.

[0033] As may be seen in Fig. 1 the charging compartment 16 is arranged in a trunk 30 of the electric vehicle 10.

[0034] The portable battery 18 may be either a low-voltage (LV) battery with a voltage below 60 VDC or a high-voltage (HV) battery with a voltage above 60 VDC. The advancements in battery material and packing technology could enable either the low-voltage or the high-voltage version. So, the material of the battery that stores the energy comprises in particular a specific high energy density or storage density. Furthermore, in particular compared to the material of the traction battery 12, the battery 18 is also portable and could be used to extend the range for more miles compared to a battery with less dense material.

[0035] Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the portable battery 18 of the LMRB for high-voltage battery charging. The charging connector 24 is built as a CCS-based DC charger connector. The portable battery 18 may comprise a recharging inlet 32.

[0036] Fig. 2 further shows an input or a charging connector 24 in addition to the charging interface 22, which can be conductively recharged in the electric vehicle's 10 charging compartment 16 or an off-board charger. The charging interface 22 of the portable battery 18 is in particular a vehicle-compatible charge coupler that may include a charging input and/or output. For example, the charge coupler may provide either a globally standardized form factor or a proprietary design in case the portable battery 18 is a customized OEM specific product.

[0037] Therefore, it is an advantage, if the socket 20 and the charging interface 22 are standard compliant and/or built for a combined charging system and configured in the exact same way. With a charging connector 24, the traction battery 12 could be charged or the portable battery 18 could be discharge after being charged at a recharging inlet. So, when the portable battery 18 is displaced, the user can use the charging connector 24 in the charging compartment 16.

[0038] In some embodiments, the portable battery 18 may be a high-voltage battery. If the portable battery 18 is a high-voltage battery 18, and for example, if the portable battery 18 is rated at 400 or 800 Volt. The traction battery 12 may be directly charged by the portable battery 18 using standardized charging connectors. For example, the charging connector may be a combined charging system (CCS) based coupler to mate with a CCS-based charging inlet for the electric vehicle 10. A compatible charge connector can be supplied within the electric vehicle 10.

[0039] In another embodiment, the portable battery 18 may be a low-voltage battery. If the portable battery 18 is built as a low-voltage battery. The portable battery as a LMRB may recharge an onboard low-voltage battery, for example, an additional battery 26. Therefore, the on-board low-voltage battery 26 or the portable battery 18 may recharge the traction battery 12 using an onboard DC-DC converter 28. Recharging the on-board low-voltage battery 26 by the LMRB such as the portable battery 18 is analogous to a jumpstart event. However, the portable battery 18 as the LMRB replaces the source of energy such as a car or another generator. The LMRB may connect to the low-voltage battery such as the on-board low-voltage battery 26 using charge couplers, in particular via the charging interface 22 or the socket 20.

[0040] Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the portable battery 18 of the LMRB, which is built as said low-voltage-battery and therefore used for low-voltage charging, for example for charging the on-board low-voltage battery 26. The charging connector 24 is built as a standard low-voltage jumper plug. The portable battery 18 may comprise the charging interface 22 and the recharging inlet 32.

[0041] With the shown electric vehicle 10 a compact portable energy pack such the portable battery 18 is provided, which helps to relieve range anxiety in the driver of the electric vehicle 10.

Reference Signs electric vehicle 12 traction battery 14 electric drivetrain 16 charging compartment

18 portable battery

socket 22 charging interface 24 charging connector 26 on-board low-voltage battery 28 DC-DC converter trunk 32 recharging inlet

Claims

CLAIMS1. An electric vehicle (10) comprising a traction battery (12) for providing electric power for an electric drivetrain (14) of the electric vehicle (10), the electric vehicle (10) comprising a charging compartment (16) and a portable battery (18) removably storable in the charging compartment (16), wherein a socket (20) for a charging interface (22) of the portable battery (18) is arranged in the charging compartment (16), via which socket (20) and charging interface (22) the traction battery (12) is chargeable by the portable battery (18).
2. The electric vehicle (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that a material of the portable battery (18) which stores the energy comprises a higher energy density/storage density than the corresponding material of the traction battery (12).
3. The electric vehicle (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the socket (20) of the charging compartment (16) is configured for bidirectional charging so that the portable battery (18) is chargeable by the traction battery (12).
4. The electric vehicle (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the portable battery (18), in addition to the charging interface (22), comprises a charging connector (24) via which the portable battery (18) is chargeable, in particular by an external charger.
5. The electric vehicle (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the socket (20) and/or the charging interface (22) are standard-compliant and/or built for a combined charging system and/or configured in the exact same way.
6. The electric vehicle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the portable battery (18) is operatable with a low operating voltage or a high operating voltage.
7. The electric vehicle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an on-board low-voltage battery (26) which comprises a low operating voltage is provided, and the on-board low-voltage battery (26) is chargeable via the socket (20) and/or the on-board low-voltage battery (26) is configured for a jump start.
8. The electric vehicle (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that the traction battery (12) is chargeable via a DC-DC converter (28) and the on-board low-voltage battery (26).
9. The electric vehicle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the charging compartment (16) is arranged in a trunk (30) and/or lockable compartment.